


Ritual

by kiyala



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Married Characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 21:45:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10052618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: Takao has gotten used to all the rituals in his daily life, but there's a new addition.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For [Mandi](https://twitter.com/BFN_Agent006).

Rituals have a certain kind of prominence in Kazunari's life. There's something comforting and reassuring about them and besides, at this point in his life, they come as a guaranteed part of his day. Shintarou is responsible for that, in his unapologetic and organised way, but Kazunari learned to adjust to it years ago. Perhaps it was baffling at first, then a little frustrating, but now it feels just as natural as reaching to his side and finding a familiar hand with a firm grip. 

Right now, that familiar hand is stroking through Kazunari's hair in a wordless _good morning_. Kazunari lifts his head, catching Shintarou's hand in his and pulling it back, kissing it in reply and smiling against the warm skin. Shintarou's face, when Kazunari looks up, is turned away but it's still obvious that he's smiling. Kazunari has learned the language of Shintarou's smiles; sometimes it's plain to see in the curve of his lips but a lot of the time, it's much more subtle than that. Kazunari has learned to detect it in his voice, in the slope of his shoulders, in his very demeanour. 

This morning, however, Kazunari doesn't need any of that. He rolls over onto his back, in the king-sized hotel bed he was sleeping in just moments ago, and tugs with the hand still holding Shintarou's. 

Shintarou leans over him this time, his smile much more obvious. Kazunari can feel it against his forehead when Shintarou kisses it. "Come on."

This is part of a ritual, too. Kazunari gets out of bed with only the mildest of grumbling, wrapping his arms around Shintarou's waist and muffling laughter into his back as they slowly make their way towards the bathroom, still joined together. There's the smell of mint in the air, from when Shintarou brushed his teeth earlier. Kazunari slowly unwinds himself from Shintarou, squeezing some paste onto his toothbrush and sticking it in his mouth, sitting on the edge of the tub. It gives him an easy view of Shintarou standing at the sink, slowly and meticulously washing his hands even though he's already showered. 

By the time Kazunari is done brushing, Shintarou is drying his hands. They have it perfectly timed now. It's been years since Shintarou has bandaged his fingers to keep them safe but if anything, his hands are even more important to him now. They're steady and sure; good hands for a surgeon. One of the best in Tokyo, Kazunari thinks smugly. Shintarou's already making a name for himself, just as everyone knew he would.

In exchange for wearing the bandages, this has become ritual instead. Kazunari, putting his brush aside, takes Shintarou's hands into his own. He kisses each of Shintarou's fingers on the knuckle, making his way from the left thumb to the right pinky. He can feel the way Shintarou relaxes under his touch, against his lips. He's smiling by the end of it, looking up to confirm that Shintarou is doing the same. Then, he reaches over to the bathroom counter top, picking up the gold band that is sitting there, and slides it snugly into place on Shintarou's left ring finger. 

This is a new part to their ritual and neither of them are quite used to it yet. They haven't had the time, just two days into their honeymoon, only four days after their wedding. Kazunari can't help but rub his thumb along the ring, marvelling at the way he can feel it warming with their body heat. He keeps his own ring on all the time, but Shintarou won't be able to do that when he returns to work. He wears it during the day while he can, but he sleeps with it off so that he doesn't get used to it, so that he's ready to part with it when he needs to. 

"I'm still not going to be able to convince you to wear it on a chain, am I?" Kazunari asks with a grin. 

Shintarou doesn't even deign to answer. Kazunari knows what he's thinking anyway. Kagami's necklace might have become heavier with more rings, but it's been _his_ style since they were teenagers. One that Shintarou has no intention of copying, no matter how practical it might be. 

What Shintarou _does_ say, his hands gently pushing at Kazunari's hips, is, "Shower. I want to be out by half past eight."

"No matter where in the world, or what timezone, you always stick to your routine don't you, Shin-chan?"

"Properly," Shintarou says, touching his thumb to Kazunari's lower lip.

"Shintarou," Kazunari murmurs, watching in delight as he makes his _husband_ blush, simply by using his given name. 

"Shower," Shintarou says more firmly this time, before Kazunari can make him blush further. 

For good measure, Kazunari gets up on his tiptoes and presses a kiss to Shintarou's lips before walking away to get a change of clothes, pulling his pyjamas off as he walks. 

" _Kazunari_." Shintarou sounds a little choked. It only earns him a smirk.

They're honeymooning in Europe. Shintarou has a decent grasp of English but Kazunari's is better as a result of travelling so much for work. Between the two of them, that's more than enough to get by. Kazunari has booked tickets to every symphonic orchestra concert he could find and Shintarou has been soaking it up happily, his hand tight around Kazunari's as they sit side by side in each concert hall. 

They spend the time in between exploring, learning bits and pieces of history from museums, from books, from tour guides who speak a little too fast, with too much of an accent. It doesn't matter that they don't catch everything because they can fill in the gaps by themselves. They've always been good at that; helping and relying on each other when they can't do something by themselves. It's been a long time since Shintarou has been too proud to ask for help, and Kazunari has learned to anticipate him, to be there before Shintarou even has to ask in the first place. 

It's with these thoughts in his mind that he steps out of the shower, half-dressed by the time he gets back to the main part of their hotel room. Shintarou is sitting on the edge of their bed, looking through one of the hotel-provided local guides, and only makes a soft noise of surprise when Kazunari climbs into his lap and kisses him. 

"You are, in fact, not wearing any pants," Shintarou points out, as if he's expecting Kazunari not to have noticed.

"I know." Licking his lips, Kazunari sits back on Shintarou's thighs and looks down at him with a smile. "I just wanted to kiss you first." 

"Before putting your pants on."

"It was important. You know what it's like, when you think of something important and you have to do it _right away_ , in case you forget." 

Shintarou knows exactly what that's like, Kazunari is certain, because most of the time, _he's_ the one attending to important matters right away. Kazunari is flexible by nature, by necessity, and it's nice to see the way Shintarou has been learning to give a little in return.

So instead of arguing further, or even checking the time to see where this fits into his daily routine, Shintarou simply holds onto Kazunari's waist and kisses him back just as deeply. Kazunari makes a soft, content, noise against Shintarou's lips and settles where he is for as long as he's allowed to get away with it. There are sights to see outside, new things to learn, an entire world to explore with Shintarou at his side.

But right now, Shintarou is right here, so that's where Kazunari is content to stay.


End file.
